George W Bush

[Calcio Jack]

Possibly the worst president in history.
And that is no mean feet.

For me that award goes to Mary McAleese who holds first and second place... why ? because she can issue pontificating lectures from afar before Xmas about how the recession will be good for people (a sinster case of old style Catholic McQuadism that) and today she signs into law the legislation covering the nationalistion of Anglo which in effect is a charter for protecting the so called elite who have destroyed our economy for the forseeable...

[pete]

Fairly hypocritical for US people to boo Dubya given they elected him twice. They get a pass on the first election but they can't say they didn't know what the were voting for the second time. Kerry is an idiot but still excuse Bush second term.

[pineapple stu]

Fairly hypocritical for US people to boo Dubya given they elected him twice.

I'd be fairly sure 100% of people didn't vote for him. It's perfectly possible those booing him voted Kerry/Gore. In which case, they're not hypocrits at all.

[pete]

I'd be fairly sure 100% of people didn't vote for him. It's perfectly possible those booing him voted Kerry/Gore. In which case, they're not hypocrits at all.

True but a lot of extra voters this year which suggests they did not vote the lats time. Clearly some may not have been old enough I am sure a lot of them choose not to vote.

By European standards the US is very conservative which is why the 'i will fight the evil doers' tactic is a sure vote getter. They are a also a little obsessed with (Christian) religion.

[pineapple stu]

True but a lot of extra voters this year which suggests they did not vote the lats time.

How many people booed him?

How many people voted against him both times?

Do you think it's at all possible the former could be a subset of the latter?

Come on, FFS.

[dahamsta]

pete, you're really scraping the bottom of the barrel at the moment. I don't know if it's genuine or a desperate attempt to get a rise of of people, but either way, you're just embarassing yourself. Perhaps a break from CA is in order.

adam

[Closed Account 2]

It can only be viewed as utter failure.

Economy / National Debt = Failure

The US Economy is in dire straits, with a national debt beyond the wildest dreams of 8 years ago. Major US financial institutions have been liquidated (Lehman Brothers, Citigroup, State Street) and now other industries are heading that way too (Ford etc).

Social care (Medicare, Katrina, Unemployment, Foreclosures) = Failure

Millions of US citizens lack basic health care and there is a huge trade in semi-legal importation of medical drugs from Canada. Katrina 1,800 dead 750 missing, (approx 2550) the biggest loss of life due to a hurricane since pre WWII. Unemployment (just look here here ). Foreclosures have shot up in his second term 225% since 2006 this hides the real statistics too, many US Citizens are having to work 3 jobs just to try and stave off the bank at the front door.

International Relations (Iraq, Russia/NATO, Middle East) = Failure

He has goofed up utterly in this area. Iraq is a complete mess, ethnically its on the brink of civil war and politically it's much more volatile and prone to fundamentalism than before he took office. His relations with Russia have been an utter disaster, NATO is looking like a failed organisation now with no real power (e.g. Georgia) and no real purpose. Latin America has swung fully from right to left in his 8 years.

The bottom line is standard of living in the US has fallen for its citizens, the US is less safe, less strong (economically and militarily) and no longer predominates an unipolar world. That is his legacy, and for all the optimism about Obama I think the problems are there to stay.